Estimation of the rational water area for controlling wind erosion in the dried-up basin of the Ebinur Lake and its effect detection

The Ebinur Lake region was described as a ＂Green Labyrinth＂ in ＂Xinjiang Map Records： Records of Rivers＂ published in 1910, however, the ecology and environment in the region have been seriously degenerated due to the impacts of human activities during the recent 40 years. A dried-up lake basin with an area of 107.4 km^2 forms in its northwestern part, is covered by unconsolidated silt deposit without vegetation, and has become one of the main dust sources of dust weathers in north Xinjiang, and the dust with an annual amount of 4.8×10^6 t is blown out of the region by strong winds from the Alataw mountain-gap where there are 164 days occurring strong winds in a year. The rational water area and inflow of the Ebinur Lake for improving the ecology in the lake region and effectively controlling wind erosion in the dried-up lake basin are estimated using the water balance equation after analyzing the current ecological problems and the relationship between the granular composition of deposit in the dried-up lake basin and the dust weathers, and the ecological effects in recent years are monitored. It is considered that the water area of the Ebinur Lake for improving the ecology in the lake region and effectively controlling wind erosion in the dried-up lake basin should be 800 km^2at least, and the annual volume of surface runoff and groundwater recharging the lake should be over 7.92×10^8 m^3.

Estimation of the rational water area for controlling wind erosion in the dried-up basin of the Ebinur Lake and its effect detection